-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Apple has the pieces needed to build an iPhone model that can connect to just about any cellular network .

The evidence was found under the hood of a new iPhone 4 unit made for Verizon Wireless .

To work with the nonstandard infrastructure used by Verizon , Apple needed to deploy a different cell chip . The hardware company had to alter parts of the iPhone 's construction in order to make it compatible , Apple COO Tim Cook said during the phone 's coming-out event .

While the new iPhone will only work on Verizon 's network , the Qualcomm chip Apple is using in these new models is capable of connecting to Verizon 's network , as well as to carriers using the GSM standard , which is what AT&T and T-Mobile USA have .

The finding was unearthed by repair firm iFixIt in a full dissection of a Verizon iPhone obtained through the pre-order system .

The silicon chip in the iPhone is the same type used in another Verizon phone , the Droid Pro . The latter smartphone is designed for frequent travelers and can be used easily in most countries overseas .

But Apple did n't develop the first-run Verizon iPhones in a way that lets them work internationally , despite the building blocks being there . For one , it 's lacking the crucial SIM card slot used for telling the phone which network it should connect to and what its phone number is .

AT&T is positioning this travel-ready ability as a major competitive advantage of its iPhones , and of other phones made for its network .

That Apple has a healthy supply of these dual-carrier chips could be a sign of an impending `` universal iPhone . ''

Charles Golvin , an analyst for Forrester Research , is confident that the next iPhone model , expected to come out this summer , will be capable of working on both Verizon and AT&T , along with most cell networks worldwide , he said in an interview .

@highlight

The inner workings of the Verizon iPhone provide hints as to Apple 's future plans

@highlight

Apple is using a cellular chip capable of connecting to both Verizon 's and AT&T 's networks

@highlight

An analyst says Apple 's next iPhone could work on both major U.S. networks